There's Always A Flaw In the System
by JoshEm
Summary: My first fics/oneshots! Follow Rye Wallace's moments in the arena of the 43rd Hunger Games. Constructive criticsm is very much appreciated! :)
1. Chapter 1

I stare toward the tube. The tube that will send me to certain death. It's very unlikely that Nine will have a victor this year, especially with the deadly whore from One and the ox from Ten. I'm just lean and toned; able to blend in any background like a ghost.

*Tributes, enter the tube now*

*Tributes, enter the tube now*

A cold, artificial female voice calls out. Well, this is it. I give one final hug to Atilla, my stylist, and I thank her, for making District Nine a hit at the Tribute Parade. As I slowly walk over and in to the tube, I slowly wave goodbye to Atilla as the platform rises up.

While I go up, I think about my family. Mom. Dad. Ceres, my six-year-old brother who just started school. And with that, I decide that even though I'm an easy kill for the Careers, it's worth trying to win.

When I'm up in the arena I'm shocked by it. It's a blue grid, with cyan lasers forming various things, such as trees. The other tributes are equally shocked by this. Then, all havoc breaks loose.

The blue grid flickers, showing different arenas. One second it's a tundra, another second a tropical paradise. Then, we're plunged into darkness.

We wait.

And wait.

The Cornucopia appears first. Then, the arena is revealed. It's split into four sections. One looks like a forest in autumn, the second looks like a winter wonderland. It has stunning mountains, glittering blue lakes, and sparkling ice. And snow everywhere. Yet there's something about it that makes me reconsider going there. Beauty can kill in the Games, as I've learned way too many times. The third is a wild tropical paradise, with islands, vividly green palms and colourful birds soaring. And finally, the fourth one. I'm shocked by it. Lava lakes and volcanoes spewing out lava. The ground is black jagged rocks. It's hell itself. The Cornucopia and the tributes is in the center, which is a grass plain.

The countdown is down to 15.

14, 13, 12, 11, 10…

Where should I go?

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5…

Autumn it is.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

This is for you, Ceres.

''Ladies and gentlemen, let the Fourty-Third Annual Hunger Games begin!''

And with that, I run towards the first pack and knife.

The girl from Five fails to notice me as I stab her and then run towards the forest.


	2. Chapter 2

I run.

And run.

Eight cannons fire in the distance, marking the death of eight tributes, lives gone, gone like their families' hopes. Hope that they might just become this year's victor. But, no, feelings aside. I can't have pity if I'm going to go home.

While I run, this blur of reds and oranges makes me dizzy, so I stop, making sure that nobody's following me. Then, I remember the pack. I open it fast to see the the contents, which the Capitol has been generous with this year.

There's some matches, a full ½ litre water bottle, some jerky and crackers and wire. And I found a weird object in the outskirts of the Cornucopia that confuses me.

It's a gold metal ''pen''. The edges are sharpened, and on the side, there's a glass window so you can see the contents inside. Inside, a clear liquid bubbles. I suppose it's a weapon and put it in the pack again.

As I look around me, all I can see are trees. Trees, trees and trees. To be honest, if I win the Games, I never want to see the colour red again. Ever. In the distance, a tall, snowy mountain with glaciers and blue sparkling rivers dominates the horizon. What a shame, it looks pretty with the crimson sunset backdrop, but this is the Games. Anything pretty here doesn't really belong here.

Then, the death recap starts. First up is the girl from Two. Shocking. Normally all the careers make it through the first day, but I saw them go to the tropical section. Who knows what awaits there? Then, the boy from Three, and the girl from Five: When she appears, I'm filled with guilt. I took her life, for god's sake. But her death means one step closer to going home. After her, both from 6, the boy from 9 and both from Twelve appears. Then the anthem plays, and the screen disappears.

I turn around and try to get some sleep under a tree. I'm concealed by some trees and leaves in a pit, so it's hard to spot me here.

I get some sleep before I'm woken up by ''yip'' noises. I jerk up. I have to squint because of the night to see about six foxes with red eyes and extremely sharp teeth staring at me.

An owl hoots.

A fox steps forward.

A cannon fires.


End file.
